Catalyst packing is known for carrying out a wide variety of liquid-phase reactions and for cleaning the exhaust from internal-combustion engines and industrial plants.
Thus, DE-C-29 08 671 describes a catalyst support which is permeated by flow channels and has a cross-flow effect, comprising layers of a steel sieve fabric arranged one on top of the other with improved support profiles in the support matrix.
DE-C-44 11 302 describes a process for the production of a monolithic supported catalyst in the form of a coated gas-permeable molding. This catalyst packing likewise has flow channels in the starting-material flow direction.
EP-B-433 223 describes catalyst packing having a support structure comprising layers of steel sheeting or solid ceramic material stacked one on top of the other, where the layers are arranged in the principal flow direction and, owing to waved or zigzag-shaped profiling, form linear flow channels which are open to one another and cross one another. This catalyst packing thus also has flow channels in the starting-material flow direction.
The known catalyst packing is monolithic, structured packing which has flow directions in the starting-material flow direction. If reactions are to be carried out in the gas phase, in particular under superatmospheric pressures, this results, in known catalyst packing, in the formation of laminar flow and consequently slip of unreacted starting materials.
It is an object of the invention to provide catalyst packing which does not have the disadvantages described.